The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 38:11,
"Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, 'Live as a widow in your father's household until my son Shelah grows up.' For he thought, 'He may die too, just like his brothers.' So Tamar went to live in her father's household."
Judah had three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. After his son Er had married Tamar, the Lord put him to death because he was wicked, verse 7. Following the convention and practice of the day (and later codified in the law of Israel as found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, "the duty of the brother-in-law"), Judah gave Tamar his second son, Onan, to raise up offspring for Er. However, Onan failed to fulfill his duty, "But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother." Genesis 38:9. The Lord found this to be wicked and so he put Onan to death as well.
Down to his last son, Judah deceitfully avoided giving Shelah to Tamar to raise up offspring: he blamed Tamar in his heart for the deaths of his first two sons! Tamar had done nothing wrong and yet she was denied what was due her because of the sins of Er and Onan. Judah thought he would lose Shelah if he gave him to Tamar, not recognizing it was his own son's wickedness that caused their deaths from the Lord and not Tamar.
It causes me to wonder if I have misplaced blame for my own shortcomings...
In the end, Tamar got her due. She tricked Judah into having sex with her by disguising herself as a temple prostitute, which resulted in twin boys! In the end Judah confessed "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." Verse 26.
Another fascinating episode of that dysfunctional family that became the wonderful covenanted people of God!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
"Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, 'Live as a widow in your father's household until my son Shelah grows up.' For he thought, 'He may die too, just like his brothers.' So Tamar went to live in her father's household."
Judah had three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. After his son Er had married Tamar, the Lord put him to death because he was wicked, verse 7. Following the convention and practice of the day (and later codified in the law of Israel as found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, "the duty of the brother-in-law"), Judah gave Tamar his second son, Onan, to raise up offspring for Er. However, Onan failed to fulfill his duty, "But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother." Genesis 38:9. The Lord found this to be wicked and so he put Onan to death as well.
Down to his last son, Judah deceitfully avoided giving Shelah to Tamar to raise up offspring: he blamed Tamar in his heart for the deaths of his first two sons! Tamar had done nothing wrong and yet she was denied what was due her because of the sins of Er and Onan. Judah thought he would lose Shelah if he gave him to Tamar, not recognizing it was his own son's wickedness that caused their deaths from the Lord and not Tamar.
It causes me to wonder if I have misplaced blame for my own shortcomings...
In the end, Tamar got her due. She tricked Judah into having sex with her by disguising herself as a temple prostitute, which resulted in twin boys! In the end Judah confessed "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." Verse 26.
Another fascinating episode of that dysfunctional family that became the wonderful covenanted people of God!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
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